Writing device



Nov. 20, 1962 E. HECHTLE WRITING DEVICE Filed Deo. so, 1955 l INVENTOR ATTOREY gang .52

United States Patent Oice 3,064,624 Patented Nov. 20, 1962 3,064,624 WRITNG DEVICE Emil Hechtle, Elmhurst, NX., assigner to Radiant Pen Corp., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 3i), 1955, Ser. No. 556,637 2 Claims. (Cl. 1Z0-42.03)

My invention relates to writing devices, and more particularly to means for protracting and retracting the writing point thereof, such as, for example, the ball pointed cartridge in a pen.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a writing device with a simple and inexpensive push button mechanism, with the cartridge supported substantially axially within the writing instrument during the operation and use thereof. By maintaining the cartridge axially throughout its various positions, it is possible to increase the cartridge diameter, and consequently, its ink capacity. Conversely, the barrel can be reduced in diameter without loss of cartridge capacity.

Other objects are to provide a simplified push-button mechanism useful wherever a position switching device may be usefully employed; to provide a prOtract-retract push-button mechanism with a reduced number of parts; with parts that may be assembled with each other prior to installation into the housing of the device; and with parts that may be sprung into interlocking position as a sub-assembly.

These and other objects are accomplished and my new results obtained as Will be apparent from the device described in the following specication, particularly pointed out in the claims, and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which:

FIG. l is a longitudinally sectioned view of a writing device embodying my invention with the writing element in protracted position.

. FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary sectioned view of a circular cam means forming a part of the protractretract mechanism.

FIG. 3 is a sectioned view of the push-button plunger forming the contacting means of the protract-retract mechanism, the dot-dash lines of the slotted lower portion representing the compressed position for insertion into the circular cam means.

FIG. 4 is a sectioned fragmentary view of a pen with a modified mechanism with the writing element in protracted position.

FIG. 5 is a view of the developed shape of the circular cam means with the various positions of the contacting means shown in position thereon.

The essential elements of my writing device comprise a hollow cap having a hollow body 12 threaded or force fitted thereto, a contacting means shown in FIG. l in the shape of push-button plunger 14 having upper and lower lugs 16 and 18 respectively, integral therewith, a circular cam means shown in the shape of a toothed ring 20 having upper and lower teeth 22 and 24, respectively, upon which the lugs 16 and 18 alternately ride, a writing element 26 illustrated as a ball point cartridge containing an ink reservoir, and a spring 28.

The hollow body 12 is provided with an opening 30 for projecting the cartridge therethrough. The cap 10 similarly contains an opening 32 through which the push- -button member projects for manual manipulation.

One end of the spring engages the ange 34 formed on the cartridge, which confines the spring against the shoulder 36 formed on the inner surface of the body.

The toothed ring 20 and push-button plunger 14 are shown in enlarged View in FIGS. 2 and 3, respectively. The ring 20 may possess an outwardly extending shoulder 38 provided with a cap engaging portion 40 for immovably supporting the ring to the cap. Other means may be employed for preventing the ring from rotating with respect to the cap.

The push-button plunger 14 is preferably made of resiliently flexible material, and is longitudinally slotted as at 42 throughout its lower half to permit the lower lugs 18, and attached portion of the slotted plunger, to be sprung towards each other, as is shown in dot-dash lines. In this position the plunger is inserted freely through the hollow opening 44 of the ring 20, until the upper lugs 16 engage the upper teeth 22. The sprung portions are then released, the lower lugs 18 assuming their proper position for engaging lower teeth 24. This enables the two parts to be interlocked in a unitary assembly.

The teeth and lugs possess sloping faces to facilitate a camming action, one with respect to the other. Matching lugs and teeth are diametrically provided. This insures a balanced action, preventing the moving parts from binding one upon the other. The slotted end of the plunger is recessed as at 46, to permit the end of the cartridge to be contained therein under pressure of the spring 28.

The interlocked parts are inserted through opening 48 of the cap and press-fitted to, or immovably positioned on, the inner wall thereof with one end of the plunger projecting through opening 32 to form a push-button. The body 12 containing the cartridge and spring is then press-fitted or threaded to the cap, as shown, placing the spring under tension, and lifting the end of the cartridge against the plunger. This forces the lower lug 18 to engage the lower teeth 24. In the position, for example, shown in the developed view of the ring in FIG. 5, lugs 18 are held on the sloping faces forming cam surfaces 58 by tooth 52 in a protract or writing position. In the retract position, lugs 18 are held on cam surfaces 54 by teeth 56. The lugs, when so positioned, are moved and supported under action of spring 20. The upper lugs are free of the teeth in these positions. To obtain a change of position, the push-button plunger is depressed, causing two lugs 18 to be moved out of their respective writing positions until free of teeth 52. At this point, upper lugs 16 engage cam surfaces 58 which causes a relative movement between plunger and ring until lugs 16 come to rest against teeth 60. Releasing the pressure on the push-button plunger permits the spring 2t) to lift the plunger until lower lugs 18 engage cam surfaces 54 where the relative movement is continued until teeth 56, or the retract position, is reached.

A repetition of the respective movements of the plunger and ring will lower lugs 18 and free them from lower teeth 56, causing upper lugs 16 to engage upper cam surfaces 62, causing the relative motion until lugs 16 are stopped by teeth 64. nWhen the plunger is free of the depressing pressure, the spring pressure lifts the plunger, causing lower lugs 18 to engage cam surfaces S, repeating the relative motion until stopped by teeth 52 in the original starting, or writing, position.

ri'hus two successive depressions on the push-button causes one complete revolution of the plunger and ring relative to each other. The slope of the cam surfaces and contacting surface of the lugs is su'ciently steep, say 3G degrees, for example, to facilitate the sliding action which translates the linear motion into one of rotation.

The longitudinal displacement A between the tops of cam portions 50 and 54, represents the net-displacement between the protracted and retracted positions. The distance B must be slightly less than the distance 'between the lugs, which permits the teeth to be cleared during the relative rotation of the parts.

The relative motion may be achieved by xing the position of the circular cam means and allowing the contacting means to rotate, as is illustrated in FIG. 1, or by allowing the circular cam means to rotate as is shown in FIG. 4. In FIG. 4, parts similar to those shown in FIG. 1 arev similarly numbered, but bear the sux a. The arrangement of parts Vis substantially identical with the parts illustrated in FIG. 1, except that the cap engaging surface 40 is omitted, and the ring a ispermitted to rotate without interference, under propulsion of the push-button plunger 14a between a shoulder lilaV formed on the inner surface of the cap, and shoulder 12a of the body.

The sleeve andl push-button may be made of suitable metal or plastic material. In the form shown in FIG. 1, the inserted sleeve may be provided with a flat side which cooperates with an inner projection, for example, a' rivet used to attach the clip to the cap, not shown. This acts as anobstacle to rotation of the sleeve with respect to the cap. This'is in lieu of press tting the parts together.

The sleeveand cap may be suitably shaped to permit the-sleeve to besnap-tted into the cap in proper position for u se and either xed in position, or allowed torotate, as needed.

The spr-inging` of one slotted member to permit assembly to the other eliminates the necessity of making upper and lower lugs on separate parts to be fitted into each other onboth sides of the ring.

The protract-'retract mechanism of my invention prov-idesV the minimum number of parts needed for obtaining the required movement of. the cartridge with a-single push-buttonV member. The parts are inexpensive to assemble. minimum price possible. The cartridge, being moved linearly, may be enlargedv in diameter to lit-,the housing, thus increasingrthe ink capacity over the cartridge that is required to swing from one position to another. parts are substantial and not easily broken during operation.

My push-button mechanism is useful for other devices, for example, for utilization of the linear motion and/ or rotation of either the ring or push-button plunger to turn an electric switch on or on, or for opening andl closing a lock. Y f

l have thus described my invention but I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular forms or uses shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention may be carried` outin other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and, therefore, I claimrbroadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by meansof which objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as itis obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of the many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

The result is an eicient construction at thev The I claim:

l. A push button mechanism comprising a housing having an aperture, a one-piece plunger having a pushbutton head portion extending through said aperture, circular cam means having tWo sets of oppositely positioned cam surfaces one at each end of the cam means, contacting means having two longitudinally spaced apart lugs, with the cam surfaces positioned between the spaced apart lugs, each lug for engaging a corresponding set of cam surfaces, one of said means forming a part of said plunger, and resilient means urging one of the lugs and one of the sets of cam surfaces relatively toward each other into a position of rest, whereby successive longitudinal movement relative to each other of the contacting and cam means caused by depressing and releasing said'e plunger will successively cause a relative rotation therebetween, forcing the cam and contacting means to` takesuccessively diierent longitudinal positions of rest rela tive to each other, said plunger and contacting means being longitudinally slotted at one end and made of one piece of resiliently ilexible material to permit the slot-ted plunger and contacting means to be llexed -by compression enabling both to be positioned inside the cam means, and released to place both meansl in proper position forl use With respect to each other.

2. A push button mechanism comprising a housing having an aperture, a one-piece plunger having apushbutton head portion extending through said aperture, circular cam means having two sets of oppositely positionedV cam surfaces one at each end of the cam means, contacting means having twoA longitudinally spaced apart: lugs, with the cam surfaces positioned betweenV the spaced: apart lugs, each lug for engaging a correspondingV set of cam surfaces, oneV of -said means forming a part'of said plunger, and resilient means urging one of thel lugs and one of the sets of cam surfaces relatively toward each other into a position of rest, whereby Successive longitudinal movement relative to each other of the contacting and cam means caused by depressing and releasing said plunger will successively cause a relative rotation therebetween, forcing the camand contacting means to take successively different longitudinal positions of rest relative to each other, saidA plunger' and" contacting means being made of one piece of resiliently flexible molded plastic, one end of which is slotted to permit the slotted plunger and contacting means to beexedvby compression enabling both to bel positioned in side the cam means, and released to place both-means in proper position for use with respect to eachother.

References Cited in the tile of this patent. FOREIGNV PATENTS 38,292 Germany Ian. 11', 1887i 42,547 Germany Feb. 29, 1888 80,470 Germany Apr. 2, 1895 635,144 Great Britain Apr. 5; 195@ 

